Apparatus for feeding glass



Oct. 26, 1937. H. M. BLACK APPARATUS FOR FEEDING GLASS Filed March 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ar wed m 6M 74244,

IIII

4s. an"

Oct. 26, 1937. H. M. BLACK APPARATUS FOR FEEDING GLASS 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1935 Q in N w Q N mm. m m WHN 0mm ubm ...1 B 2 C hm .vvn a an IIIHMII .lllll um Patented Got. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR FEEDING GLASS Harold M. Black, Jeannette, Pa.,

assignor to McKee Glass Company, Jeannette, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 12, 1935, Serial No. 10,689

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for feeding mold charges from a mass of molten glass supplied from a continuous source, and the invention is particularly adapted for feeding 5 glass by causing it to flow from a submerged orifice and interrupting such flow by the application of vacuum or negative pressure impulse to permit severing of the glass in intermittent timed relation, the timing being in synchronism with the movements of the moldsupporting ma chine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a flow spout provided with a relatively deep well above the feed orificeto partially control the head of glass effective above the orifice thereby regulating the quantity of glass delivered between successive retraction impulses.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for controlling the temperature of the glass supplied to the flow spout both before and after the glass is delivered to such fiow spout, such temperature control and the manner in which it is effected being of primary importance in the maintenance of suitable operating characteristics of the glass and to meet the varying conditions met with in the melting and refining of the glass. 1

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which: I

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a glass tank, forehearth and flow spout 35 embodying the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 a cross-sectional View thereof taken along the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a cross-section taken on the line 3- -3, Fig.

Fig. 4 a plan view of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10, diagrammatic illustrations of a method of feeding glass from a fiow spout in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 9 a cross-sectional view of valve mechanism controlling the application of the vacuum impulses to the glass; and A Fig. 11 a longitudinal cross-section of a portion of the fiow spout with refractory tube removed.

With reference to Fig. l of the drawings, the structure therein illustrated comprises a melting tank or furnace generally designated by the reference numeral I for melting and refining glass, the numeral 2 designating the level of the glass in the furnace. 3 is an opening or flow passage leading therefrom to a forehearth structure generally designated by the numeral 4. The forehearth comprises a flat hearth 5 formed of refractory blocks having heat insulating material 6 therebetween and a cover plate I supporting 5 the hearth structure. The hearth is provided with a straight side wall 6 and an arched roof la, the side walls being provided with burner ports 3 and a skimmer hole 9. As shown in Fig. 4, burners II) are arranged in alignment with the ports 8 to inject a gaseous flame to themterior of the forehearth chamber. The ends of the arched roof la terminate atarched walls H and [2 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. A relatively large skimmer block I3 is disposed be hind arch I I and as-shown in dotted lines'in Fig. 2 extends below the level of the glass in the forehearth. The sides of the block l3,.extend beyond the inner surface of the side wall 6 as shown in Fig. 2 to prevent the passage of glass therearound. A skimmer block [3a is also provided between the forehearth chamber and the feed chamber.

A stack I 4 is provided at the forward end of the forehearth adjacent the arch wall l2, the stack l4 having a damper. l5 to control thepassage of the waste gases or heatfrom the forehearth chamber to the atmosphere. A second stack I6 is provided on the opposite side of arch wall I 2, the exhaust passage of which extends .30 through the fire clay brick wall H. A boot or flow spout herein designated by the reference numeral l8 forms an extension of the forehearth 4 and a silica brick arch I la divides the top of the spout and wall [1. Arch lid is removable for.; 35 skimming, if necessary. The fiow spout is'of refractory material and is housed by metal plates I9. The top or cover la is provided with openings 20 parallel with the glass level, into which project a plurality of burners (not shown). Theao fuel does not burn on the surface of the glass as the burners are parallel to the surface of the pool. A refractory tube or sleeve. 2| extends through opening 29a of spout cover I8a and is supported by bracket 22 to which it is bolted at 45 its flange 23. A nipple 24 extends through bracket 22 and a clamping plate 25 to facilitate assembling and dismembering of the sleeve 2|, and a conduit 26 extends into the nipple 24 and communicates with the hollow chamber of the tube oo 2 l whichwill behereinafter designatedthe impulse chamber, conduit 26 being connected to one side of a piston valve 21. The bracket 22 is bodily adjustable horizontally by a bolt and slot ar- Iangement and up and down vertically by move- 55 constricted to form the feeding orifice for feed- The refractory member ing mold charges 31a. is secured in place beneath the flow spout l8 by clamps 38 which are bolted to the metal plates l9, and the'usual shear blades.;3'-1 b are operative below the orifice to-sever'the gobs 31a. 'With reference to Fig. 90f the drawings, the source of vacuum communicated to the hollow interior of which..it';is coupled at4l.

' Ethrough conduits'45 and 46.

' cylinder 42.

the refractory tube 2| is controlled by a piston valve 39 which is actuated by a piston '40 to Piston 40 isoperative in a cylinder 42 .having ports,43 and 44leading to asource of fluid pressure that is supplied :necte'd'to; the;pipe line 26 of the refractory tube 2| and also to a conduit 41 leading to a source of vacuum or negative pressure. Piston 39' is provided with an annular groove adapted to register with the ports of conduits 26 a'nd'41 to establish communication therebetween. Applicaw 'tion of fluid pressurethrough conduits 45 and 46 is controlled by a valve, not shown, which is actuated bymovement of a cam to' admit air to of air to cylinder 42 is brought aboutbya con ventional timing mechanism that coordinates the movement of the forming machine andfeeding apparatusv V The feeding-of a charge of glass 31a to a mold is diagrammaticallyshown in Figs. 5 to 8 and 10 of the drawings, the numeral-31c designating the mold or mold surface.

Theioperation of the above describedfeeding apparatus is briefly as follows:

7 Glass :is supplied from tank I through passage 3 to the forehearth 4, .and is brought to normal workingtemperature byregulation of theburners I0 anddamper-l5onstack |4.' The conditioned glass flows into the spout l8 where its temperature can befurther controlled by'regulation of burners Ho and the stack l6. Skimmer block |3aprevents surface glass from entering the spout and similarly the skimmer block |3 prevents surface glass from entering the 'forehearth. The

a foreign particles accumulated behind the skim- 'merblock |3a are removed through the skimmer hole 9. The glass 31a from the spout. i8 flows downwardly and out of the feedorifice 31 by action of gravity. When a predetermined quantity: of glass is thus extruded by gravity and the 7 head pressure of the glass above the feed orifice,

shear blades 31b will sever the suspended portion31d causing it to drop in a mold arranged to be directly beneath the feed orifice 31.

Prior to the instance of severing, the chamber of the refractory tube 2| is evacuatedthrough pipe line 26 to retract the glass in the feed orifice, causing it to neck or contract in the plane ofseverance so that the shear blades 3112 cut through the constricted portion of the mold charge 31a. As explained in connection with the description of the valve mechanism in Fig.

' 9 the application of the vacuum or suction impulse to the glass is timed in synchronism with the mold machine, and also the severing blades 31b. When a mold is charged, it will be replaced Cylinder 21 is con- A stack H as desired. The proper timing of the admission byan empty mold below the feed orifice and the vacuum in the refractory cylinder 2| is broken to again permit the glass to flow from the well 36 through the feed orifice. By operating. the hand wheel 34, the bracket 22 supporting the sleeve 2| is vertically adjusted to vary the, position of the bottom of sleeve 2| relative to the flow spout, this adjustmentbeing convenient to control the quantity of glass fed from the, feed orifice and also to maintain the quantity constant when the quality of the'glass in the flow spout may vary due to temperature changes of the glass or other operating conditions initiated in the melting tank I. Sleeve 2| is also adjusted 'if the speed or rate of feeding is changed.

It has been found that by moving the sleeve 2| a'very small fraction of an inch, such as 0.010

or 0.015, excellent control of the weight of the and the burners in openings 20 of the flow 'spout cover 18a. The weight and diameter of the charge31a. is primarily controlled by the diameter of the orifice 31 anddifferent sizes of orifice rings 35 are mounted on the spout I 8 for different weights-of charges. Thetemperature in the rear combustion chamber that is in the-forehearth 4 may be controlled by the front stack H5 or rear 1 However, stack I4 is intended to control the forehearth chamber 4-and stack IS the flow spout. The front stack I6 is' 'small' and maybe left uncovered while the rear stack may be employed to. cool therear compartment or boththe front and rear compartments at .the same time. By closing the front stackwith a. refractory brick or the like and opening the rear stack, a sustaining. temperature may be maintained in front of the tube 2| while simultaneously coolingthe'forehearth chamber 4, by causing the flame or'products of combustion from the front burners l1a to travel forward and then above the skimmer block|3a to the rear stack |4. This causes the flame to be applied a mini- ,mum distance from the surface of the glass when travelling from the spout to the forehearthchamher while it causes the flame from burner ports" .from the glass in the direction of the stack l4. 7

8 'of the forehearth, chamber to be drawn away By closing off the stack H as shown in Fig.1;

the heat will surround the tube and will be applied to the surface of the glass in the front and back of the front stack l6. By adjustment. of the burners |1ai a more intense heatmay be maintained in the front compartment while less heat is used in the rear compartment or fore-f hearth chamber. 'The skimming arrangement I31; and skimmer hole 9 permits removal of the collected particles without great interference withtemperature regulation of the glass.

The deep wen 36 above the feed orifice prevents the formation of air bubbles in the extruded glass as no air will be drawn into the spout which might occur if the said orifice were provided directly in the bottom of the spout 18' and the depth of the well further increases the head of The shape of the mold charge 31a is largely governed by the distance of'the mold from theorifice ring 31; If the mold is spaced too far from the glass effective on the glass in the feed orifice 31 to maintain a cylindrical contour of the charger Ware. By supporting the bottom of charge 31a on the receiving surface of the mold 310 the charge will swell as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and when severed will be centered in the mold and be free of lap marks.

The proper spacing of the mold and feed ring is obtained by vertical adjustment of the mold to produce the desired weight and shape of mold charge.

It will be evident from the foregoing description of this invention that glass feeding apparatus constructed in accordance therewith provides flexible temperature regulation which is of great importance in the method of feeding glass by gravity and head pressure only, and 'that by the employment of a deep well beneath the fiow spout and micrometric adjustment of the refractory sleeve 2|, the weight of the segregated portions or mold charges can be uniformly maintained.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding glass comp-rising a melting tank, a forehearth structure having a feed chamber at one end thereof, an arch Wall between the forehearth chamber and tank and an arch wall between the forehearth chamber and said feed chamber, a skimmer block extending the entire width of the forehearth and below the level of the glass adjacent said-first named arch wall, said block extending into the side wall of the forehearth to prevent the passage of glass therearound and a skimmer block adjacent the second named arch wall, a waste gas stack at the front end of the forehearth and another stack at the rear end of the feed chamber adjacent the first named stack, dampers controlling the Waste gas passages of said stacks, burners in the forehearth chamber and burners for the feed chamber, said feed chamber having a submerged feed orifice and having a refractory tube extending below the level of the glass, means for adjusting the tube vertically relative to the feed orifice, and means for regulating the application of the heating medium to or away from the surface of the glass in the forehearth and feed chamber and to the front and rear portion of the latter.

2. Apparatus for feeding glass comprising an enclosed forehearth for supporting molten glass open at one end for receiving the glass from a source of supply, a feeding well of constricted cross-sectional area and substantial depth attached below the front end of said forehearth open to the interiorthereof and having a feed orifice at the bottom of the well, a refractory tube suspended in the feed chamber open at its lower end and closed at the top, said refractory tube being mounted on a movable support, means for adjusting the vertical and lateral position of said support to change the distance of the end of the tube relative the well of the spout, and means independent of said heating means for controlling the application of heat to different portions of the glass in said chamber.

3. Apparatus for feeding glass comprising an enclosed forehearth for supporting molten glass, communicating at one end with a source of supply and having a well at its closed end, said well having a submerged feeding orifice at the bottom thereof, a feed chamber extending from said orifice upward a substantial distance into said well and terminating in a relatively wide bowlshaped mouth, a refractory tube suspended in the said chamber, open at its lower end and closed at the top, said refractory tube being mounted on a movable support, means for adjusting the vertical and lateral position of said support to change the location of the mouth of the tube relative to the wide mouth of the well, and means for controlling the thermal properties of the glass passing to and in said well.

4. Apparatus for feeding glass comprising an enclosed forehearth for supporting molten glass, communicating at one end with a source of supply and having a well at its closed end, said well having a curved Wide-mouth terminating in a relatively long and narrow feed chamber, with a submerged feeding orifice at the bottom, a. refractory tube suspended in the said chamber, open at its lower end and closed at the top, the interior of said tube constituting an impulse chamber with said feed chamber, said tube being mounted on a movable support, means for adjusting the vertical position of said support to change the location of the mouth of the tube relative to the wide mouth of said well, and means for controlling the thermal properties of the glass passing to and in said well.

HAROLD M. BLACK. 

